The National Folklore Commission within the Malta Council for Culture and Arts together with the Tourism and Culture Ministry yesterday launched the ninth national Ghana festival which will take place as usual in the Argotti Gardens in Floriana from the 26 to 28 May starting at 7pm.

Speaking at a press conference, festival coordinator Dr Gorg Mifsud Chircop explained that all singing styles were to be represented at the festival, with particular emphasis being made on the a la Bormliza style, which is unique in the Mediterranean.

He said that there will also be groups from Libya, Valencia and Tunisia which will take part. Among the local participants, there are Rita Pace L-Ghannejja, Guzeppi Spagnol, Iz-Zejtuni, Kalcidon Vella Id-Danny and Kalcidon Vella Ta’ Mustacca.

As in the past three years, the festival will also be streamed live on www.

di-ve.com while a commemorative CD of last year’s edition will be on sale or will be given for free to those patrons who buy a block ticket of Lm4 for all three evenings. Tickets for each event cost Lm1 and are on sale from St James Cavalier and from the Malta Council for Culture and Arts at 230, Republic Street, Valletta.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that the festival is part of our cultural DNA and continues building on our traditions which help to identify us as a nation. He said that the festival also serves as an important point of reference for historians who wish to research our rich cultural past.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that it was important for Malta to continue to retain its identity within the family of 25 European nations. He said that the EU is built upon unity within diversity and this enables Malta to make its voice heard with its unique patrimony of art and cultural heritage, of which ghana is an important part.